United Plans to Expand Flights to China from New York City Area

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United Airlines announced it submitted a formal application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to increase service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport beginning in June 2020.

Once the additional service receives formal approval, United's second daily flight will help passengers conveniently connect to Shanghai from more than 90 U.S. and Canadian destinations served by the airline from the New Jersey airport.

The new flights would offer travelers enhanced time of day coverage, with United offering both a morning and afternoon departure from both New York/Newark and Shanghai.

“Our application for a second daily flight between New York/Newark and Shanghai is in response to the demand for travel between each country's financial center, which has grown annually for the last several years,” United CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement. “If approved, this additional flight will help facilitate the development of increased business and tourism, provide additional capacity for customers and further enhance United's position both as the airline of choice to China and our hub at Newark Liberty International Airport as the premier East Coast gateway to Asia.”

The expanded schedule also strengthens the airline’s position as the only U.S. carrier serving mainland China and Hong Kong from the New York City area. United first launched flights to and from China in 1986.

The airline and Star Alliance partner Air China have a multi-year agreement that includes code-sharing on more than 100 routes and provides customers of both carriers with additional travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and frequent flyer program reciprocity.